THE MP for Warrington North has accused the council leader of living in ‘la-la land’ in what has become a war of words between Labour and the Lib Dem, writes Nicola Davies.

Helen Jones has condemned the leading political party for damaging the town with what she says is its unfounded comments about the possibility of a new prison coming to Warrington.

She said: “This is a deliberate scare story put out by an increasingly desperate Lib Dem leadership which is trying to deflect the news away from its poor stewardship of our town, not least the appalling Ofsted report into our Children’s Services Department.”

The slating of the Lib Dems by the Labour MP follows a letter sent out by council leader Ian Marks to Warringtons’ MPs calling for them to fight against the latest Government’s proposals for a 1,500-place prison in the town.

The borough council was among several in the north west, London, north Wales and west Yorkshire to receive a letter last week from justice minister Maria Eagle outlining plans for a search for suitable sites for five new 1,500-capacity jails.

Clr Marks wrote to Warrington North MP Helen Jones and Warrington South MP Helen Southworth to ask for their assurances that they will be doing everything possible to support them in taking a stand against another bid for a jail.

He said: “This council strongly opposed the siting of a Titan prison anywhere in Warrington and not just on Omega.

“We will be equally firm in our opposition to a new prison coming here.

“We believe the people of Warrington deserve to know your view on your Government’s intention to look for a site which might be within the borough.”

The Lib Dems say this proposal is the quickest Government U-turn, coming six months after former justice minister Jack Straw released a statement on April 27, following the furore surrounding plans for a 2,500-capacity Titan prison on Omega, saying no jail would ever be built on the site. Mrs Jones said: “The Lib Dems know that this is the case. They have deliberately set this story running with no basis of fact whatsoever to substantiate it.

“I have seen a copy of the letter sent to the council by the Ministry of Justice and it does not imply, as Clr Marks suggests, that a prison could come to Warrington. He is living in la-la land if he truly believes it does.

“This cheap political stunt could easily damage the town’s future economic prospects. It seems the Lib Dems do not care so long as they can score, what they see as a political goal.”

She added: “Read my lips Clr Marks – Warrington is not going to get a new prison under a Labour government.”